Feed mechanism and conically-shaped mandrel having tacky surface for supporting web on its edge

ABSTRACT

A METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FIXEDLY SUPPORTING A RIBBON BY CREATING A TACKY SURFACE ON A GENERALLY CONICOL BODY AND THEN SECURING AN END PORTION OF THE RIBBON OF THE TACKY SURFACE OF THE BODY AT THE SMALLER END THEREOF WITH THE END EDGE OF THE RIBBON PARALLEL TO THE AXIS OF THE BODY, THE BODY IS THEN ROTATED WITH EITHER THE RIBBON OR THE BODY BEING MOVED TO CAUSE THE RIBBON TO WIND SPIRALLY ON THE BODY WITH A SIDE EDGE OF THE RIBBON ADHERED   TO THE TACKY SURFACE. IN THE APPARTUS A MECHANICAL CONNECTION BETWEEN THE APPARATUS FOR ROTATING THE CONICAL FORM AND THE APPARATUS FOR RELATIVELY MOVING THE BODY WITH RESPECT TO THE RIBGON CREATES A UNIFORM SPIRAL OF THE RIBBON ON THE BODY.

July 3, 1973 D. R. CRAIG 3,743,563

FEED MECHAN lSM AND CONICALLY-SHAPED MANDREL HAVING TACKY SURFACE FOR SUPPORTING WEB ON ITS EDGE Filed Dec. 17, 1970 INVENTOR.

DWI/V R. ORA/6' United States Patent Oflice 3,743,563. Patented July 3, 1973 US. Cl. 156391 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A method and apparatus for fixedly supporting a ribbon by creating a tacky surface on a generally conical body and then securing an end portion of the ribbon to the tacky surface of the body at the smaller end thereof with the end edge of the ribbon parallel to the axis of the body. The body is then rotated with either the ribbon or the body being moved to cause the ribbon to wind spirally on the body with a side edge of the ribbon adhered to the tacky surface. In the apparatus a mechanical connection between the apparatus for rotating the conical form and the apparatus for relatively moving the body with respect to the ribbon creates a uniform spiral of the ribbon on the body.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention The present invention relates to methods and apparatus for fixedly supporting a ribbon to permit process steps to be performed on the ribbon.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The method of the instant invention consists in creating a tacky surface on a generally conical body which is mounted for rotation about its axis. A ribbon has one end portions secured to the tacky surface adjacent the smaller end of the body so that with relative axial movement of the body and ribbon the ribbon will be spirally wound on the body with one side edge thereof adhered to the tacky surface.

The primary object of the invention is to support a ribbon in a fixed position to permit the ribbon to be processed.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent in the following specification when considered in the light of the attached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevation of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the invention; and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken along the lines 33 of FIG. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the several figures the reference numeral indicates generally an apparatus for fixedly supporting a ribbon.

The apparatus 10 includes a generally conical form 11 supported for rotation about its axis on a shaft 12. A spool 13 is supported on a threaded shaft 14 for translational movement along its axis as well as rotational movement about its axis.

The cone 11 has a tacky surface 15 applied thereto. The tacky surface 15 may be sprayed on, brushed on, or it may be taped having both surfaces tacky which is adhered to the form 11.

The form 11 is formed of any suitable material and may be perforate to permit the flow of fluid therethrough, porous for the same reasons, or may be imperforate to prevent the flow of fluids therethrough.

A ribbon 16 is wound onto the form 11 with the lower edge of the ribbon 16 adhered to the tacky surface 15 with the ribbon 16 extending upwardly therefrom with its free edge spaced outwardly the same distance from the axis of the form 11 as the lower adhered edge. The ribbon 16 may be any elongate flexible material which has a side to side width no less than the thickness of the ribbon and generally much greater than the thickness of the ribbon. Materials which form the ribbon to be supported on the conical form 11 include photographic film, webs of various material, metallic ribbon, and the like.

The Wraps of the ribbon 16 on the conical form 11 are spaced apart as can be seen in FIG. 3 so that treating fluids may reach the ribbon 16 on both sides thereof in order to treat the ribbon 16 such as in photographic development. The ribbon 16 in some instances is merely stored on the conical form 11 with no treatment taking place.

The surface of the conical form 11 presented to the ribbon 16 may be smooth, fluted, or otherwise treated to permit the flow of fluids along all portions of the ribbon In the use and operation of the apparatus illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 3 the form 11 is rotated by either manual or power rotation of the shaft 12 and the ribbon 16 feeds oil? of the spool 13 and onto the tacky surface 15 of the form 11. The spool 13 is trnslated vertically downwardly or toward the large end of the form 11 so that the ribbon 16 is spirally wrapped onto the form 11. When the ribbon 16 is completely wound on the form 11 the form 11 wlith its ribbon 16 supported thereon is then stored, treated in suitable chemicals, or contacted with other desired materials.

It should be understood that the form 11 may be translated along its axis as it is rotated with the spool 13 rotating in one position to also advance the ribbon 16 on the form 11. It should be also understood that the surface of the form 11 may be conical or any generally conical form desired.

The tacky coating 15 is normally applied to the outer surface of the form 11 but it should be understood that it may be also applied to the inner surface and the ribbon 16 wound on the inner surface when such is desired.

THE METHOD The method of fixedly supporting a ribbon includes the steps of creating a tacky surface on a generally conical form by (1) applying tape having tacky surfaces on both sides thereof to the face of the cone, (2) spray, dip, or brush coating the tacky surface onto the form, (3) chemically treating the surface of the form to cause it to be tacky. The step of creating a tacky surface consists of using conventional materials applied in a conventional manner. A ribbon of material has a end portion thereof secured to the tacky surface of the form at the smaller end thereof with the perpendicular end edge of the ribbon parallel to the axis of the conical form. The ribbon may be supported on a spool or may be unsupported if desired. The form is then axially rotated to wind the ribbon thereon while simultaneously moving either the conical form or the ribbon in the direction of the axis of the conical form toward the large end of the conical form to produce a spiral wrap of the ribbon on the conical form with one side edge of the ribbon adhered to the tacky surface of the conical form. The conical form with ribbon supported thereon in fixed position is then stored, or treated in any desired manner to produce any desired results in the ribbon.

Having thus described the preferred embodiments of the apparatus and method it should be understood that numerous structural modifications as well as changes in the method steps may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for temporarily storing a ribbon in a spaced spiral form with its major adjacent facing surfaces spaced apart in generally parallel relation and exposed for subsequent treatment comprising a generally conical form having a conical tacky surface thereon, means for rotating said form about its axis, a generally cylindrical supply spool supporting said ribbon for winding on said form, and means for affecting relative axial translation between said spool and said form to feed said ribbon onto said rotating form in a spiral with one edge only of said ribbon contacting and releasably held by said tacky surface and with the major adjacent facing surfaces of said ribbon secured in spaced apart relation for subsequent treatment.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the means for affecting relative axial translation between said spool and said form is operated by the means for rotating said form.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the means for affecting relative axial translation between said spool and said form includes meehnical means actuated by the means for axially rotating said form.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,112,895 12/1963 Kinney 156-189 X 3,115,988 12/1963 Warnken 156-189 X 3,565,726 2/ 1971 Golladay et a1. 156-1-89 X 3,300,356 1/1967 Warnken et a1. 15 6-189 X 1,211,514 1/1917 Wilson 156-189 X 3,272,672 9/ 1966 Lampman et a1. 156-189 3,402,085 9/1968 Trimble 156-189 3,420,721 1/1969 Bayles et a1. 15 6-189 X STEPHEN J. LECHERT, 1a., Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

